Researchers investigate parent perceptions of virtual learning

Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 

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The current work was done as part of a larger research study aimed at examining the feasibility of using saliva-based testing in five K-12 schools in Illinois. 

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Credit: Christine Herman

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a majority of schools across the U.S. shifted to virtual learning. In a new study, published in Social Education Research, researchers conducted interviews with parents of students who attended middle or high schools to understand how virtual learning impacted their daily routines, stress levels, and the academic performance of the children.

The transition to virtual learning necessitated the creation of online lessons in a very short time period and with limited training of teachers. As a result, parents and students had to deal with unexpected changes in their home lives and learning environments.

“Virtual learning will not be limited to the pandemic, and we need to prepare for the future. We can see it becoming more popular, for example as a replacement for snow days. Therefore, we need to know how parents feel, so we can adjust how we approach virtual learning,” said W. Catherine Cheung, an assistant professor of physical therapy at Northern Illinois University.

The researchers recruited 20 parents initially as part of a larger research study aimed at examining the feasibility of using saliva-based testing in five K-12 schools in Illinois. The participants filled out questionnaires and participated in semi-structured interviews in the summer of 2021. The researchers then used constant comparative analysis and emergent coding to find patterns in the participants’ answers.

When the parents reflected on the impact of virtual learning, some agreed that its impact on their work schedule was a major source of stress. Additionally, they found it taxing to monitor their children to ensure that they completed their work. “It stopped me from doing a lot of things because I had to make sure that they were doing what they were supposed to. It was like I went back to school,” one parent stated. Virtual learning also caused financial stress, since the families had to buy more groceries and spend more on reliable internet.

The parents were also asked how their children responded to virtual learning, and many felt that the lack of social interaction had a negative effect on their children’s mental health. One parent shared, “I think that isolation had a significant impact on our kids. There’s very little time for socialization anyway and with having older kids, we don’t have the connections with [other] parents.”

Several parents also felt that in-person schooling was better for their children’s academic needs. One parent stated, “I saw that they were falling behind, their learning went down, and their concentration wasn’t there. It was very, very hard.” They were also concerned that their children’s academic performance would be affected once they returned to in-person schooling.

Notably, a few parents, whose children received special education services, reported having positive experiences with virtual learning. These parents were able to assist with their children’s needs better, with one parent reporting, “Remote learning was a great thing for [my child] because he has a neurological disability and has an issue with writing. It allowed him to be more successful at writing because of the format.”

“When we started the study, there were no data available on how the parents were dealing with the situation, outside of anecdotes,” said Rebecca Smith (CGD/IGOH), an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “Now schools can consider different aspects of education, including the home situations of students. They need to think about what the students on the margins are going to need, rather than trust that they'll get taken care of.”

The study “Exploring Parent Perceptions of Virtual Learning in School: Learning During a Pandemic” can be found at https://doi.org/10.37256/ser.5220244572. The work was done in collaboration with Michaelene Ostrosky, Grayce Wicall Gauthier Professor of Education at Illinois.

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Journal

Social Education Research

DOI

10.37256/ser.5220244572 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Exploring Parent Perceptions of Virtual Learning in School: Learning During a Pandemic

New poll finds 50% of parents believe too much time on technology hinders kids from forming connections in the classroom

The Kids Mental Health Foundation provides tools to help parents and teachers focus on building belonging in the upcoming school year, citing academic and mental health benefits

Nationwide Children's Hospital

COLUMBUS, Ohio (August 16, 2024) – Building positive connections with teachers and peers in the classroom can be critical to the mental health and academic success of children and adolescents. Yet, a new national poll from The Kids Mental Health Foundation, conducted by Ipsos, finds half of parents believe spending too much time on technology and social media hinder children from making meaningful connections as they head into the upcoming school year. 

The poll, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, highlights top reported challenges for kids in forming classroom connections. According to more than 1,000 parents surveyed across the United States, the top challenges are:

1. Too much time with technology (50%)

2. Bullying (30%) 

3. Social impact of the pandemic (22%) 

Differences in culture and background can also be a factor, with about one in five parents (19%) reporting children struggle to make connections at school because they don’t feel like they fit in because of their race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, or gender identity.

“We know connections help foster a sense of belonging and when kids feel like they belong at school, they perform better academically and live healthier lives overall. Belonging is especially important to the adjustment and acculturation of immigrant children,” said Ariana Hoet, PhD, executive clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Technology is not all good or all bad, but parents should look for warning signs if you feel your child’s balance with technology use is affecting their real-world social connections.”

Warning signs parents should watch for to help determine whether their child is spending too much time on social media, gaming or other screens include:

• Losing track of time. Check to see if your child is being honest about the amount of time they are spending on devices.

• Being preoccupied/Distracted. Observe if your child urgently feels a need to return to their device(s) or screens during offline activities.

• Isolating. Look for a lack of interest in “real life” social connections and activities.

• Irritability. Watch for signs of anger or irritability while playing (which could include throwing a controller, yelling or breaking things).

• Physical health effects. Keep an eye out for drops in sleep or physical activity, changes in eating patterns or an increased focus on appearance.

• Changes in offline activities. Watch for negative changes to interactions or relationships with family or friends, and decreased school performance.

The survey also finds connection-based concerns for kids include fitting in (14%), making new friends in class (17%), being bullied or excluded (13%), and making new friends in sports and extracurricular activities (5%). 

“The good news is that teachers and parents can help increase feelings of belonging in children,” said Dr. Hoet. “However, we have to keep in mind that this may be harder for immigrant parents who may not understand the school system and culture.” 

To help children of marginalized or underrepresented groups experience greater feelings of belonging, parents, caregivers and more can:

• Find mentors to model positive behavior. Your child may benefit from connecting with family, friends, relatives or even kids a few years older. Hearing that others who look like your child have successfully navigated high school or college may give them the confidence to increase their sense of belonging.

• Seek out settings where your child fits in. Underrepresented kids may not feel connected at school, but they might enjoy clubs or cultural organizations where they have something in common with others in the room. The more places your child experiences social connectedness, the better.

• Check in with your child. Find out how they’re feeling at school or in other social venues. Make sure they aren’t experiencing online bullying or receiving negative feedback on social media, because hurtful online experiences can harm a child’s real-world perception of belonging. Take time to help kids who feel like they don’t fit in.

The Kids Mental Health Foundation, founded by Nationwide Children’s, provides expert-backed content for parents, caregivers and teachers. Resources like Signs Your Child is Stuck on Screens, Talking to Kids about Social Media, Why School Belonging Matters, Boosting School Connections and 10 Ways to Combat Bullying, can help teachers and caregivers increase the protective factors around children, like school belonging and adult-child connections, and boost the mental health of young students.

For more resources, please visit KidsMentalHealthFoundation.org.

About the survey:
This Kids Mental Health Foundation/Ipsos poll was conducted August 2-4, 2024, by Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,146 adult parents of children under the age of 18. The survey has a margin of error of ± 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence interval for all respondents.

The Kids Mental Health Foundation is the leading organization promoting mental health for children in the United States. To achieve its vision to build a world where mental health is a vital part of every child’s upbringing, more than 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in partnership with other trusted experts, provide real-world knowledge and expertise to power the Foundation’s free educational videos, guides and curriculum. Launched in 2018 as The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health, the organization recently expanded its mission as The Kids Mental Health Foundation to reflect the belief that emotional and physical wellbeing should be treated the same. To date, more than 15 million people have engaged with the Foundation’s materials, empowering parents, caregivers, educators, coaches and employers as the guiding force for children’s mental health all across the United States.

 

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Method of Research

Survey